Only Chalk is permitted as a grip aid.
Scoring Systems
As from now (March 1, 2007), in the UK we will be using a new scoring system. Well not new really, it is the one the Germans have been using for their comps. So instead of all the constant messing around with updating coefficiants, now it's just a simple maths formula.
Here's an imaginary contest.
Lifter A gets 145k
Lifter B gets 137.5
Lifter C gets 95k
Lifter D gets 88k
The top lift gets a 100 points. The formula for the rest is, their lift (lifter B = 137.5) x 100 divided by 145 (top lift) = 94.82
Lifter A has 100points
Lifter B has 94.82
Lifter C has 65.51
Lifter D has 60.68
There is also the strongman style of scoring which we use in the bending contests, ie. If there is 10 athletes, 10 points for 1st and 1 point for 10th. All the points are added up at the end. If the points are equal at the end of the contest, then the placings are found by using the countback method. This is giving the position to the person with the most amount of wins. If it is still a draw, then you look at the most amount of 2nd places, and then 3rd, 4th, and so forth till there is a winner.
One Hand Grippers - 20 mm block close
Competitors will set the gripper down to a 20mm gauge that is provided to measure the gap before the close. You will hold and apply the gauge yourself. Once the gripper is set (the other hand must be kept away from the gripping hand, arm and gripper) close the gripper till the handles touch. The grippers are the only event that does not operate on the rising bar principle. If you fail to close a gripper, you can attempt a lighter one on the next attempt. Competitors will be called in the order they appear on the recorder's sheet. Each time they are called, they will make one attempt with each hand.
One Hand Grippers - credit card close
Competitors will set the gripper down to a credit card that is provided to measure the gap before the close. You will hold and apply the gauge yourself. Once the gripper is set (the other hand must be kept away from the gripping hand, arm and gripper) close the gripper till the handles touch. The grippers are the only event that does not operate on the rising bar principle. If you fail to close a gripper, you can attempt a lighter one on the next attempt. Competitors will be called in the order they appear on the recorder's sheet. Each time they are called, they will make one attempt with each hand. This style is the official IronMind rules now.
One Hand Vulcan Gripper - 20 mm block close
Competitors will set the gripper down to a 20mm block of wood to measure the gap before the close. You will hold and apply the gauge yourself. Once the gripper is set (the other hand must be kept away from the gripping hand, arm and gripper) close the gripper till the handles touch.
One Hand Vulcan Gripper - credit card close
Competitors will set the gripper down to a credit card to measure the gap before the close. You will hold and apply the card yourself. Once the gripper is set (the other hand must be kept away from the gripping hand, arm and gripper) close the gripper till the handles touch.
For certification purposes the Red spring only, unaltered, will be used.
So that everyone is playing by the same rules, we shall use the gripper with the numbered handle in the fingertips (this is the handle with the number on the bottom and has the two metal plates attached).
The spring levels are;
LEVEL 16 (both springs attached to #6 notches)
LEVEL 15 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 14 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 13 (both springs attached to #5 notches)
LEVEL 12 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 11 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 10 (both springs attached to #4 notches)
LEVEL 9 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 8 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 7 (both springs attached to #3 notches)
LEVEL 6 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 5 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 4 (both springs attached to #2 notches)
LEVEL 3 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #1 notch)
LEVEL 2 (front spring attached to #1 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 1 (both springs attached to #1 notches)
Two Hands Pinch Lift
The width of the pinch apparatus is adjustable to suit different hand sizes, but to keep it within the spirit of a pinch lift the minimum width allowed is the 2 outer steel discs and 2 rubber spacer discs, a width of 24mm. Before the event starts, you will be given the opportunity to try it and find your best width. The smooth-sided, adjustable-width disc is held on a 2” thick metal rod by a pair of collars. Extra weights will be added to the outsides. The top of this is grasped with an overhand pinch grip (with no further than a 3” gap between the index fingers) and lifted until the end of the bar touches a horizontal stick placed at 16.5” from the floor. There is no referee’s signal. You do not have to be erect upon completion. You must lower the weight under control. If the outer discs accidentally touch the stick before the bar itself, referee’s discretion will be used to judge whether the correct height was attained. Pinch gripping the discs using an unorthodox underhand grip will not be allowed.
Additional equipment rules: 1. The apparatus has to be loaded with the same number of discs on each side, in the same order, and has to weigh similar (max 1k tolerance between the total weight of the weights at the front, and weights at the rear). 2. The heaviest discs should be loaded nearest to the adjustable pinch discs themselves. 3. The spacer/collars that hold the inside adjustable discs together should be the same length. 4. The discs added should be smaller in height than the adjustable discs you grasp, so that the view of the lifters hands are not totally obscured, and the lift starts from the proper height.
One Hand Triple Hub Lift
A Triple Hub will be used, and only the top hub used. These are purchased from Stan Pike here. The lifter will straddle the apparatus, and grasping the top hub with finger tips will lift the Triple Hub to a height of mid knees or above. Only the fingertips of the index and midlle finger are allowed to lift the hub, no encircling the hand round the top (like lifting a thick vertical bar) is allowed. Though the ring and small fingers may be sideways or off the hub. Here's a photo. The lift ends with the referee's signal, and then you must lower it under control. The lifting hand must not touch the legs or body.
One Hand Vertical bar Lift
A lgc replica vertical bar is used, 24" high. The weight will be positioned between the lifter’s feet. The lifting hand must be no further than 5 cm from the top of the hand to the top of the bar when the lift commences. No locking of the thumb is allowed. The lifter will raise the bar until it is a minimum of 5 centimetres off the ground and then lower down again without loosing the grip. The lifting hand must not touch the legs or body.
One Hand 2" Vertical bar Lift
A 2" thick vertical bar is used, 24" high. The weight will be positioned between the lifter’s feet. The lifting hand must be no further than 5 cm from the top of the hand to the top of the bar when the lift commences. No locking of the thumb is allowed. The lifter will raise the bar until it is a minimum of 5 centimetres off the ground and then lower down again without loosing the grip. The lifting hand must not touch the legs or body.
One Hand Lift
The One Hand Lift or ‘the fundamental test of a man’s bodily strength’ as declared by the famous strongman W. A. Pullum, certainly was, and still is, a demonstration of massive power.
The apparatus will be a 1-inch thick handle attached to a bar by an adjustable chain. No hook grip can be employed. If the handle or chain touches the leg this is not a cause for failure. The bar is then lifted at least 5 cm above the floor (measured from the lowest point of the underside of the set up which is often slightly inclined during a lift) and then lowered down again without loosing the grip. No wrist straps of any kind allowed. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise.
One Hand Deadlift using an Olympic Bar (with a hook grip).
The bar may either be raised in front of the lifter, or the lifter may straddle the bar. Hook gripping is permitted. The free hand may be used to brace against the opposing leg. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise. The bar must be raised to a point where both ends of the bar are pulled to a height of mid knees or above and the legs must be straightened. The shoulders do not have to be pulled erect, nor the body straight as long as the legs are straight and the bar motionless with both ends above the knee joint. The lift ends with the referee's signal, and then you must lower the weight under control.
One Hand Deadlift using an Olympic Bar (with no hook grip).
The bar may either be raised in front of the lifter, or the lifter may straddle the bar. Hook gripping is not permitted. The free hand may be used to brace against the opposing leg. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise. The bar must be raised to a point where both ends of the bar are pulled to a height of mid knees or above and the legs must be straightened. The shoulders do not have to be pulled erect, nor the body straight as long as the legs are straight and the bar motionless with both ends above the knee joint. The lift ends with the referee's signal, and then you must lower the weight under control.
One Hand Deadlift using an Olympic Bar (with a thumbless grip).
The bar may either be raised in front of the lifter, or the lifter may straddle the bar. Hook gripping is not permitted. The thumb has to be on the same side of the barbell as the fingers of the lifting hand. The free hand may be used to brace against the opposing leg. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise. The bar must be raised to a point where both ends of the bar are pulled to a height of mid knees or above and the legs must be straightened. The shoulders do not have to be pulled erect, nor the body straight as long as the legs are straight and the bar motionless with both ends above the knee joint. The lift ends with the referee's signal, and then you must lower the weight under control.
Dinnie Ring Lift for Reps
The proper replica handles and loading pins manufactured by David Horne must be used for this event. These rings are copied from the original stones, as are the loading pins, so they are the same height as the stones at Potarch. The weight of the large stone is 187k (the equipment used must total 187kg inclusive of apparatus), and the smaller stone is 146kg (the corresponding sized rings must be used). A lift is completed when the weight is 5cm or more from the floor, and it must be lowered under control. No down signal will be given but the referee may discount any failed lifts at his discretion. The time limit is 90 seconds and just one lift with the large stone set-up will beat any number of lifts with the small stone set-up. No hook grip can be employed. The handle must not touch the leg at any point during the lift (a little brushing is acceptable, but no locking). No wrist wraps or straps of any kind are allowed.
Weaver Stick Lift to Rear
George Russell Weaver popularised this wrist leverage test some 50 years ago whilst living in Brooklyn. A round stick (mop handle) is used which has the following dimensions – diameter about 1”, length 42”. Half an inch from one end cut a notch. Exactly 36” from the centre of this notch, circle the stick with a line. Get two metal right angles at a hardware store, and screw them into the top and bottom sides of the stick so that the rear edges of the right angles come exactly to the circled line. The topside of the stick is the side where the notch is cut. This leaves a handle just 5 ½” long.
The weight hangs from a wire in the notch ½” from the end, creating a leverage effect when you lift the stick by the handle. For the lift to the rear, you face away from the stick, grasping the handle with your little finger towards the weight, and lift the stick and weight off the table. You may bend your body forward as the lift is made.
The stick must be lifted approximately parallel to the floor. If the weighted end slopes downwards, you may carry on the event till the stick is level. You will then get the referees command to lower the stick. There must be no rocking of the stick on the table before lifting. The lifter hand and arm must remain free of the body. The heel of the hand must remain on top of the stick; if the hand twists around under the stick, the lift is not allowed. The grip has to be a normal grip with the thumb opposing the fingers.
For safety reasons, this is the only event the BHSA allow the use of a wrist wrap. The wrist wrap should be no bigger than 12" x 3". At the British Hand Strength Championships 2008 the wrist wrap will be provided.
Table Top Wrist Curl
This lift is only a partial movement (top range) and therefore it affords a greater poundage possibility than the full-range wrist curl.
An Olympic Bar is used for this lift. Stand behind the table, with your forearms flat on it (palms upwards), holding a barbell that has been handed to you. The referee will then signal ‘curl’, for the lifter to commence the wrist curl when he has seen that at least one knuckle from each hand is touching the table. The lifter will curl his hands off the table (using wrist flexion), keeping his forearms on the table at all times. The knuckles and hands have to come off the table before the referee will give the down signal. The lifter may use an ordinary grip, hook grip or thumbless grip. If the bar rolls out of the hand, with the fingers no longer touching the bar, the lift is failed. The bar must rise evenly: an uneven extension is also a failure.
One Hand Deadlift using a 2" thick barbell
The bar may either be raised in front of the lifter, or the lifter may straddle the bar. Hook gripping is not permitted. The free hand may be used to brace against the opposing leg. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise. The bar must be raised to a point where both ends of the bar are pulled to a height of mid knees or above and the legs must be straightened. The shoulders do not have to be pulled erect, nor the body straight as long as the legs are straight and the bar motionless with both ends above the knee joint. The lift ends with the referee's signal, and then you must lower the weight under control.
Two Hands Deadlift using a 2" thick barbell - overhand grip
Normal Deadlift rules apply, except the barbell is 2" thick, and both hands have to grasp the bar in an overhand grip (knuckles facing forward). Hook gripping is not permitted. Heels and toes may rise. The lift ends with the referee's signal, and then you must lower the weight under control.
One Hand Rolling Thunder Lift
For this event the Rolling Thunder handle from IronMind is used. This handle is attached to a loading bar by an adjustable chain. Grasp the handle with one hand (a normal grip - thumbless style is not allowed) and lift the weight clear of the floor. No contact with the stationary part of the handle is allowed. The handle must stay roughly parallel to the ground and the lifter finishes with his body erect. Hold aloft till you receive the referee’s signal and lower it under control. The fingers of your lifting hand are not to be wedged against your thighs. You are allowed to steady yourself by pushing off on your leg with your non-lifting hand. [The BHSA have no records on this event due to the differences in how the handle spins with age. IronMind's records are done with a brand new handle out of the packet.]
IronMind's rules and records on the Rolling Thunder.
One Hand Rolling Thunder Lift (thumbless grip style)
For this event the Rolling Thunder handle from IronMind is used. This handle is attached to a loading bar by an adjustable chain. Grasp the handle with one hand with a thumbless grip (ie. the thumb is on the same side of the handle as your fingers) and lift the weight clear of the floor. No contact with the stationary part of the handle is allowed. The handle must stay roughly parallel to the ground and the lifter finishes with his body erect. Hold aloft till you receive the referee’s signal and lower it under control. The fingers of your lifting hand are not to be wedged against your thighs. You are allowed to steady yourself by pushing off on your leg with your non-lifting hand. The thumbless style is a test of wrist and fingertip strength. [The BHSA have no records on this event due to the differences in how the handle spins with age.]
One Hand Baby Inch Dumbbell (53kgs) Hold (Maximum Time)
These are purchased from heavygriptools here. The lifter will straddle the dumbbell . Hook gripping is not permitted. A normal or thumbless grip is allowed. The free hand may be used to brace against the opposing leg. Foot spacing is optional. The dumbbell must be raised to a point where both ends of the dumbbell are pulled to a height of mid knees and the legs must be straightened. The shoulders do not have to be pulled back, nor the body straight as long as the legs are straight and the bar motionless with both ends above the knee joint. This will keep the dumbell away from touching the legs which it obviously shouldn't.
